GAZA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian resistance factions have agreed to hold on to their weapons, a senior official of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) said Wednesday.
"There is consensus among the resistance factions to hold on to the Palestinian people's weapons, and we have shown flexibility with the mediators regarding their use," Mohammed Al-Hindi said in a brief statement.
The remarks came after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed earlier in the day to dismantle Hamas if it refuses to disarm, threatening renewed military action in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated "the uncompromising demand for the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and the fulfillment of the war objectives prior to the reconstruction of the Strip" when meeting with U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office.
The PIJ is the second-largest armed group in Gaza. Hamas has previously said that the group will give up its weapons if the Israeli occupation ends. ■
